Stone Heart
by Megg15
Summary: Bella's life was almost perfect, her mother, father, sister and herself all live togther. Her two best friends, Sam and Jared make her happy. But what happens when her life is turned upside down and the person she hates the most is meant to be her other half... Rated M for Sexual and Violent themes!
1. Being Left Alone

**This is my newest story... It's a Bella and Paul! I hope you enjoy it. **

**Just a few things you need to know before we start. Renee and Charlie are still together and live in Forks. **

**Bella has a sister called Paula. **

**Sam, Jared and Bella are all best friends. **

**Bella's POV **

Chapter One – Being Left Alone.

_The woods that surrounded me was quiet and dark, but it had a sense of deadliness. Eyes watched me. Tracing my every step. I was not alone. _

"_Sam" I screamed out into the darkness. If there were two people in this whole entire world that loved me and who would help me whenever it was Sam and Jared._

_When I didn't get an answer from Sam, I screamed for Jared. _

"_JARED" I shouted a little louder. The bushes to my left side started to move. "Sam?" I whispered. I was met by a pair of shining black eyes. I stared at them as they stared at me. The eyes got closer and close. It wasn't Sam. It wasn't Jared. Two massive dogs walked out in front of me. Towering me. One growled as the other lunged for me. _

I screamed my heart out as I sat bolt upright in bed. A thin layer of sweat covered my skin. My hair was damp and stuck to my face.

My door opened and my father trudged in holding a shot gun. I don't know what he was thinking he would see, but he stayed tense none the less.

"Dad, I'm sorry." I said. "It was just a bad dream." He dropped the gun and sat on my bed making the mattress dip.

"It's ok." He took a strand of my damp hair and flicked it behind my ear. "You've been having a few of those lately. Maybe you should go and see a doctor or something?" Despair over took me. Even my own Father thought that I was going crazy.

The alarm went off from next to my bed side table. Time to get up it looks like.

"Are you ok? I need to get to work...Paula's already downstairs..." Is she crazy? It was only seven o'clock. "...Your mother left for an early shift." My mother worked at the little diner in LaPush with her best friends Sue Clearwater and Mandy Uley. That was how I and Sam met. He was eleven years old and me at five being clumsy and bad at making friend, he took me under his wing, made sure I was ok no matter what.

He soon became friends with another little boy on the Reservation. Jared. Jared was three years younger than Sam but two years older than me. We all became the best of friends quickly, until Sam started High School. He spent last time with me and Jared and hung out with other people; Older people.

Although I still see Sam, he's more like a big brother figure nowadays than the best friend I used to know.

Coming back to reality I remembered that I had only 45 minutes until Jared got here to take me to school. Although I lived in Forks and should go to Forks High School, Sam and Jared pleaded with the board for me to go LaPush School as they would be able to watch over me and spend time with me. The board agreed quickly as they didn't want me to go to Forks High School for whatever reason but I was grateful, I would be alone if I didn't go to LaPush.

The small bathroom was right next door to my room. So I stripped in my room and ran towards the bathroom. Charlie had left for work and Paula was downstairs watching TV as she normally did this time every morning.

The shower I took was hot, but it relaxed each and every one of my muscles. The door downstairs opened and closed and I heard Jared greet Paula before he went into the kitchen. He practically lived here with me nowadays.

I shut the shower off and went into my room throwing on jeans and a long sleeved blue top before I tied up my hair on the way down stairs. I wasn't overly pretty, but my chocolate long hair was nearly touching my waist, making up for my lacking in the beauty and makeup department.

I walked into the kitchen and started to make a coffee.

"Morning beautiful." Jared greeted me. The grin on his face told me he had some time of gossip or another for me.

I sat at the table whilst I waited for the kettle to boil, opposite Jared.

"Ok. Spill. What's up?" Jared's eyebrows creased. He was upset about something.

"Have you seen Sam lately?" He whispered to me. He leaned to and looked over my shoulder to make sure that my nosy sister wasn't eavesdropping.

I thought back to the last time I saw Sam...about three weeks ago.

"Not in a couple of weeks...Why?" Jared's eyes flushed with sadness before he masked them over again.

"It's just, I ran into him yesterday, as I went to say hi, he ignored me. But then when I asked him what was up he pretty much growled at me and told me I would understand soon enough." It was really freaky. It was not like Sam to stay away for so long and it defiantly was not like him to be so pissed off at one of us.

"Maybe he's having issues at home...I mean I know his mum's being a bit of a bitch at the moment. My mum was telling me about it." Paula switched the TV off and me and Jared ceased our conversation, both watching her.

"Right I'm off. See you later" She said half-heartedly as she walked out the door. Paula went to Forks High School, as she said it was more 'mainstream' and she didn't want to be stuck in a school with only two hundred people.

"Bye." I waved her off as she walked out the door.

I poured the boiling water into a cup and added the coffee powder, milk and sugar. Jared hadn't left his seat and was silent. Both two very off things for him to do.

"I'm sure Sam's fine." I reassured him as he smiled fake-ly at me.

"We better get to school. Maybe he will be there?" His eyes pierced into me. I just nodded, it was still very early but it was at least a twenty minute ride.

My back pack was sat in the porch, still packed from yesterday. I grabbed an apple on the way out and locked the door as Jared trudged to his car. Was there more going on with Sam then he was letting me know about? I put the key back under the soil of the plant pot and got into the passenger seat of Jared's truck.

"I saw him with Paul Meraz." Jared suddenly blurted out. Paul Meraz? The name echoed around my head. Sam couldn't be. Sam hated Paul as much as me and Jared. Paul used to bully me when I just started High School. Although Sam were out of high school now, Paul was still in Jared's year. Their last year. My heart plummeted. Next year, I started my two years of High School without Sam and Jared.

I did have a few friends...Jacob, Embry and Quil were all in my year as was Angela and Tia, who I got on well with, but they were nothing like Jared and Sam my rocks.

"Why would he be with Paul?" The anger at Sam and the hatred for Paul ran through my veins. What a traitor I thought silently to myself.

"You're about as clueless as I am." Jared answered. He looked over at me and saw that I was fighting with tears. I cried when I got angry. It was one of my most humiliating traits.

"I'm sure there's a good reason." Jared didn't look convinced. We pulled into the little school car park five minutes before the bell. I got out the same time that Jared did. I was about to walk away when Jared pulled me back.

"Look who it is." Jared hissed in my ear. My eyes shot up to the other side of the parking lot. Sam stood there, had he always been that tall? Stood next to him was none other than Paul Meraz. I watched Sam. He took a step towards me, but I turned on the stop and walked in the opposite direction. I didn't look back. Sam was with Paul, the one person in this whole entire world that I HATED.

My first class of the day was Maths. Not something I was looking forward to. The time dragged but I doodled in my book.

After four hours of long boring classes. My day was over. As I had no classes after lunch I was allowed to leave. Normally I walked to the diner for a drink and waited for Jared. Sometimes Sam joined me, but I very much doubted he would today.

The rain started to fall. God, I was going to have to go to the diner. I walked out of school grounds. It wasn't a long walk to the diner. Fifteen minutes at most. I was halfway there when a car pulled up next to me.

"Want a lift?"I stopped as I looked inside the car to meet the eyes of Sam.

"No thanks." I kept walking away from the car, but the bang of the door interrupted my steady walking pattern. A warm hand grabbed my wrist and turned me to look at him.

"It's raining." Sam was still on about this lift. I was fine, I would nearly be there by now if he had allowed me to keep walking.

"I don't care." I answered.

"Bella, I'm sorry that I haven't seen you. I've been...busy" Sam looked frail and tired and his voice faltered.

"With your new best friend?" I asked him. The anger rose in my again. How could he just leave me and Jared like that? And for Paul Meraz out of all people. Hurt spread across Sam's features.

"It's not like that Bells." He tried to explain. "You won't understand" His hand went up a gesture of giving in.

"I would if you explained." I pleaded with him, I just wanted my best mate back.

"I can't tell you." Anger surged through me again.

"We tell each other everything remember?" I yelled. My neck was craned backwards looking up at Sam. "Or at least we used to..." I added in a whisper.

Sam's face crumpled. He was getting as angry as I was.

"Bella. We are still best friends..." I laughed a little.

"Are we?" I asked him. His big frame started to shake and it was almost as if smoke was coming off his body.

"Sam." A male rushed over to Sam and put a hand on his shoulder. "Not here." The male turned to look at me. And who was it? FUCKING PAUL MERAZ. His eyes faltered. He looked at me with an expression I had never seen before.

"What?" My voice was tensed and I sounded rude, but I really didn't care. Paul turned to look at me and he pushed me back a few steps.

"You'll be safer over here." He whispered. His hand never left my shoulder. I smacked it off me.

"Don't touch me." I spat at him. Pauls face crumpled into sadness. I took a few steps back from both Sam and Paul. "Both of you, just leave me alone." I whispered. I turned and walked away...towards the diner...with tears falling from my eyes, every step of the way.

**Hope you liked the first chapter. Let me know! **


	2. Jareds Turn

**People have asked me to update this story soon. So I am getting round to it now. Thank you to everyone that reviewed...It made my day. **

**AN; I make a description in this of the stereotypical 'Geek' I want to say now, I mean no harm to anyone. **

**Bella's POV**

The little ding of the bell at the top of the door let my mum, Mandy and Sue know I was all here. Mum being mum poked her head around the corner of the kitchen and greeted me.

"Hello darling." I faked a smile at her. My eyes were blotchy, my nose red and it was evident that I had been crying and I couldn't even see myself.

"What's wrong?" My mother was a cute understanding person. She was one of those types of mum that every friend you got just opened up to her about. My mum looked young; the only sign of aging were the laugh lines that swallowed her eyes and fore-head.

The office door opened and out trotted Sue.

Sue looked a little bit more like her age. Her jet-black hair was starting to go a little white, and her face was crinkled by wrinkles.

"Hello beautiful." She greeted me as she planted a sloppy kiss on my cheek. She to noticed the water marks that told the tale of me crying but decided not to pry. "I left a book, drink and packet of biscuits in the office for you." I nodded my head and made my way towards the back door that led into the little study.

"Oh and Bella, if there's a phone call, will you take it for me? Leave a message, name and contact number." I was used to taking the phone calls by now, I did it often enough.

The door that led into the office was newly painted in a bright blue to match the chequered pattern on the floor. I pushed it open and switched on the light. The room was white with a red coloured carpet. Over in one corner was a table, with a computer and a phone, with a cabernet next to it that held all the files and insurance numbers. And on the other side of the room was a smallish, second hand, dark red sofa, with toys, and books all scattered around the place.

Me and Sam used to sit in this room all day copped up playing with the toys quite happily together. The thought of Sam brought another rush of tears.

Another ding of the bell, and I heard footsteps making their way towards this room. Checking the clock I frowned...It was too early for Jared, unless of course he decided to leave earlier. To earlier for my father... The door opened a creak and a male head poke around the door.

"Hey Bella." The husky male voice made anger rise in me.

"What do you want?" Sam stepped into the room. He looked sheepish. His big frame stood facing me, his shoulders slumped, his eyebrows creased.

"I wanted to apologize." My eyes snapped to his.

"Go on then." I sat on the sofa and brought my knee's to my chest just like I used to as a little girl when I cried over the fact that yet again Paul had made my life a living misery.

Granted, I had had glasses the size a planet with braces that attached to a metal frame around the back of my head. I was slightly chubby, with knots in my hair. And food in my teeth, but I didn't deserve to be pushed in puddles and bins.

Sam took a deep breath and moved to sit next to me. He gathered one of my hands in his. His temperature shocked me. I moved to place my other free hand on his fore-head. He was burning up.

"Are you ok? You're really hot." Sam looked at me with a smirk.

"I know" He whispered. I kept a straight face; I wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"Look," he ran one of his hands through his coarse hair and sighed. "I know...you're pissed off at me...and I know you hate Paul...but you need to trust me."

I searched Sam's face. He was being serious.

"You want me to trust you, after you're hanging out with the one person that made my life a living hell?" Sam's face bent in disgust.

"Bells. It isn't like that. Paul is the only one that knows what I am going through." I opened my mouth to speak but Sam put a finger over my lips.

"I can't tell you I'm sorry." A tear escaped my eye. This really did feel like a goodbye.

"Please." I whispered. "Please leave." Sam's face crumpled into sadness. He had tears in his eyes and the pain was there, in his eyes, I could see it.

With one last deep breath, Sam stood, bent over and kissed my cheek and left the room. I expected the door to bang shut but when it didn't I looked up. Another figure was stood in the door way. Paul. He was watching me...

"Please, just listen to me..." I kept quite. I didn't want him here, I wanted him to leave.

"Just leave." I answered.

"What makes you hate me so much." He took one involuntary foot step towards me and began staring again. He didn't remember, kicking me and flicking me and poking me and calling my names.

"Next time you bully a girl you should learn their name first." I spat at him as I walked out the door and headed for home.

**Pauls POV **

I watched as Bella turned and pretty much ran out the door. What did she mean but 'next time you bully a girl you should learn their name?' The only girl I ever bullied was this dorky kid in year seven that spat everywhere when she talked... OH MY GOD. That was my Bella.

No. I scowled myself, I don't own Bella.

_But I will _growled the wolf in the back of my head.

Back off, I spat back.

_If you can't get her, I will. _I couldn't let my wolf take over. I was feeling guilty about bullying my own imprint; I was in a big chance of slipping up.

That was the first time I had admitted I imprinted of Bella Swan. It couldn't be? I was such a free-wheeler. On my own, I couldn't be tied down to one girl, especially not little miss goody-two shoes.

My heart ached. Why had I been so foolish?

Suck it up Paul. I told myself. You have never been this affected by a girl.

_I love her_! The wolf growled deep inside me.

The door behind me opened.

"Paul?" It was Mandy Urly. Although I never got along with her son before, now that she has met me a few times, she would be fairly civilised to me. "Are you ok?" I turned to face Mandy.

"Yeah Miss Uley. In fact I was about to leave." Mandy nodded at me as I left through the door. I didn't miss the evils that Miss Swan flashed at me as I walked out through the door.

I could still see Bella; she was walking off down the road. Maybe I could apologize for my behaviour. God. I was becoming so fucking whipped. I headed off down the road and caught Bella's hand.

Her deer like eyes glared at me.

"Can't you just leave me alone?" She all but hissed.

"No." I sighed, I wish I could. But I can't I love you. HOLD UP. Had I really just thought that? Oh god, please, please, give me any other imprint. If Sam found out I had imprinted on his best friend he would eat me alive. "I wanted to apologize..." Although I wanted to add so much after that sentence, I just couldn't. I was Paul Meraz and I didn't say sorry to anyone.

Her eye brow rose as if expecting more. I stared into the eyes of my angel. _Whipped! _My wolf sneered. 'Shut up.' I snapped back.

"For..." I coughed. This wasn't easy. But I had to do it...If I ever wanted a chance with my imprint. Did I want a chance?...Yes with all my heart. "...making your life a living hell." Bella looked at me, she wasn't happy at me still but the tug of the imprint was telling her to forgive me and move on.

A crease appeared between her eyebrows. Before I knew what I was doing my finger gently touched the crease. When she didn't back away I trailed three of my fingers down her face. My fingers were tingling from her touch and every muscle in my body wanted to move closer and do it again.

_Take her! _My wolf growled. _Claim her! Make her ours! _The growling became more and more violent as my hand stayed on her face. I knew I was going to lose it so I kept trailing my fingers down. Down her neck, down her arm, until I reached her hand.

Bella had been watching me the whole time, but when I took her hand in mine, sensibility snapped in her eyes. She jerked away from me and took a step back.

"Can I have Sam back please?" As I went to answer her she butted in... "Not your Sam, but mine. The caring, funny, handsome boy that I was falling in love with." My heart broke...Bella was falling in love with Sam and I had snatched him away from here leaving her partly empty. For the first time in my life I was glad that Bella was friends with Jared. HE would keep her afloat instead of letting her drown.

"I'm not sure I can give you that Bella." I wanted to plead with her, to take me instead. Again, by their own accord my fingers went back to my imprints face, cupping her cheeks.

"Please..." She breathed a whisper. She was going to ask me to back off, I could feel it, but the over powering control of the imprint was making her heart flutter. I could hear it.

My control was slipping. My face reaching towards hers. She wasn't moving back, my lips nearly on hers...

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" Jared was stood behind me shaking uncontrollably. He was going to phase; With my imprint less than a metre away. I shoved Bella back and pushed Jared towards the forest.

"Get off of me." He growled. He was so close, and I was too close to him. If he phased now, I would get seriously hurt.

"Jared. Come here." Sam's voice boomed over the road. Authority ringing from it. Although I knew Jared didn't know what was going on, he couldn't disobey that order. Jared flickered a glance towards my girl and ran towards Sam at full speed, disappearing into the woods.

"Take Bella home." Sam said. I turned towards Bella. Her mouth was hanging open, her eyes filled with pain and tears.

"I need to go after him." She whispered. As she took a step forward and tumbled over, I caught her.

"Jared." She called into the forest. When she got no answer the tears started to fall.

"He's safe." I promise I whispered at her. She searched my face.

"He's doing the same thing as Sam." Her voice was bleak, no tone. I didn't know how to answer. She was right, and if she pushed him away like she pushed Sam away, she really would have no-one to stop her falling, unless she let me in. "I'll be alone." She murmured. The sentence was more to her than me, but I answered anyway.

"You'll have me." Her eyes turned upon me. Her emotion failed and she stared at me blankly.

"How is it that after years of making me feel like shit, you want to be my best friend?" Anger was underneath the calm tone she was portraying.

I took a step back. How could I answer this one?

"You will never be Sam, OR Jared." A feeling stung my heart. A feeling that plunged straight down into it and didn't come back out again.

Bella turned and started to walk.

"At least let me drive you home." I offered, I wanted to help, why couldn't see she that. When she didn't turn back around take my offer, my anger raged. I ran into the woods after Jared and Sam.

And phased.


	3. Deathly Fear

**I need to apologize for the long wait for this next chapter, but finally here it is. Hope you enjoy it...**

**Also, I will be going to have to apologise as I will be writing slower, as well as balancing work and life, I also found out some good news...I'm pregnant. So I will be doing hospital appointments as well. **

**Thank you to everyone that has reviewed and made an alert to this story, I really appreciate it. **

**Ok, enjoy!**

**Bella's POV**

My footsteps echoed through the lit drizzle that has started to fall as it often did in Forks. I walked as fast as I humanly could away from Paul, and Jared and Sam; everything that was making my heart ache. Paul, he had nearly kissed me. His lips, they were so near me and every muscle in my body had wanted him to close the gap and kiss me, seductively.

As I looked back for Paul, he was gone. The air stood empty where he had been, there was no trace of him left at all.

My feet had stopped moving and I was stood still gazing at the spot that Paul had once stood in. My heart ached and in a very deep part of my belly a feeling grew, a pull, a tug, telling me to follow him, to be next to him.

Am I crazy? I questioned myself. This man – no this prick – made my life a living hell and now I am seriously considering going back and taking him into my arms, to hold him. GET A GRIP I mentally screamed at myself.

I started to walk again, back to my little house, where my mum and my dad would be home waiting for me with a hot meal and a drink of some sort to quench this un-controllable thirst that was ripping through my throat.

After another ten minutes of walking I reached my little house. It wasn't really anything to look at. The house had two story's both painted in a fresh white colour with dark blue shutters that were placed around each window carefully. They were for decoration only, we had real windows luckily. It was two cold here in Forks to have wooden shutters. There were four concrete steps that you had to climb to get to my front door. How many times had I tripped and scraped my knee's on these steps I would never know.

I bounded up the steps taking two at a time and took the key from inside the plant pot that lived next to the door to unlock the front door. I wanted nothing more than to take a drink and get into bed.

As I opened the front door, everything was deathly quiet. Mum wasn't singing from the kitchen, the TV wasn't on that annoying sports channel that Dad refused to switch over, and Paula, just wasn't chatting somewhere on the phone.

"Mum?" I called into the empty space. The silence was eerie, almost too quiet.

"Paula, are you here?" I yelled again as I dumped my bag and made my way through to the kitchen. A piece of paper was laid on the table. A note.

It had my sisters silly hand writing on it, long and swirly, pretty much like her.

_Gone out with Edward Cullen. _

_Mum and Dad will be home late, but Mum told me to tell you that there's Lasagne in the fridge, just re-heat that when you get hungry. _

_Not sure when we will all be back, have fun on your own. _

_Paula. X_

I stared at the note for a little while. How could my family be out when I needed them so much.

It was times like this that I normally rang Sam or Jared. I would tell them I needed them and they would come running, but I couldn't do that this time, could I? Sam was off doing something that I didn't know. And Jared had just ran away from me like I was the plague, after catching me with my tongue nearly half way down Paul's throat.

The sting in my throat reminded me that I needed to get a drink before I passed out. The sink was stood right next to me with a few cups in the drying up area. I took one of the nearly dry cups and swilled in out with water before filling it and drinking the whole glass in nearly one slurp.

The tears that were falling melted into the cup as I stared down into the clear liquid. Why was I crying? Because I had lost my two best friends.

I sat in the corner of the kitchen and curled up to let the tears fall. I imagined two warm arms melting around me, pulling me into the safety of HIS chest. Small kisses being placed on my hair to calm me.

Paul, I wanted Paul.

A knock at the door startled me. I got up from my place on the floor and made my way towards the door.

The figure outside was familiar. Tall, dark haired, and wearing a police uniform.

I opened the door Sergeant Jones. His long face was every more drawn that unusual. He looked as if someone had died. I smiled eagerly as I saw him, finally I thought to myself, a serious face that would hurt me.

"Hey Jones. If you're looking for Dad, he isn't here. He's picking Mum up from work...do you want me to leave him a message?" As I spoke, Jones's eyes flickered to mine and then away again. Tears were gathering in his eyes. I could see them. Jones never cried. What was going on?

"Bella..." His voice cracked as he said my name. He cleared his throat and looked deeply into me. I buried my eyebrows into a frown and studied him carefully.

"Yes?"Please God, I thought.

"Your dad, isn't coming home." My heart stopped, froze, refused to move. What did he mean 'isn't coming home.' Did he have a night shift?

"Why? Where's my Mum?" I mumbled quickly. The panic was evident in my voice. I was scared, every bone in my body was shaking violently, yet every muscle refused to let loose.

"There's been a car crash." My breathing stopped. It couldn't...Jones continued. He needed to tell me yet he knew that if he stopped he wouldn't be able to finish.

"Your mother and father, have been...hurt." The use of the word hurt seemed like an under-statement.

"What do you mean hurt?" I whispered. I held my breath, my heart stopped, even the tweeting of the birds had subsided.

"They passed away Bella." The whole world stopped spinning. Jones wasn't stood in front of me. My mum and dad hadn't passed away. Sam and Jared were still my best friends. A hand on the top of my arm snapped me back to reality.

"I'm sor..." Anger bubbled inside me.

"Don't touch me." I spat. Saliva flew from my mouth as I spoke. Jones took a step back and watched my intently. I turned into my house and slammed the door in his face.

This wasn't true. I reassured myself. My parents are alive, I tried again. But I couldn't stop the silent sobs that broke free.

The phone on the hall way flashed blue, as it alerted me that there was a missed message for me to listen to.

Sam. I thought silently. I need to ring Sam. The phone was still flashing as I took it off its stand and dialled the all too familiar number.

Within two rings the phone was answered.

"Bella." A rough male voice answered. Even hearing my friends voice made me cry. I needed him so much.

"Sam." I whispered back, I tried to sound composed and un-affected, but my voice cracked giving me away.

"Bella. What's going on? Why are you crying?" The authority in Sam's voice rang through the phone. I collapsed onto the floor and cried my heart out. The phone slipped from my hand and landed next to my ear as it hit the floor.

"Bella." I heard Sam shout through the phone again.

I stared at the ceiling of the hallway as my mind went into over load. The patterns and lights danced as time passed.

Time had lost all sense of meaning to me. I couldn't tell if I had been laying in the same spot in the same way for hours, minutes, months, or what before two warm arms took me into their chest and held me there.

"What is going on Bells?" Sam whispered into my ear. He had come for me, I needed him and he had come. He was still my Sam.

I had been so mean to him. The tears turned to dry heaving sobs and the thirst was in-controllable again.

"They've gone." I whispered. Sam's dark eyes peered into mine as he carried me to the sofa to hold me. He sat down and pulled me comfortably into his lap as if I were just a baby.

"Who?" He pushed the subject. I tried to control my breathing, my heart rate, even my thoughts, but I couldn't seem to do any of it.

"Parents." Was all I managed to say. The crying became hectic again and I pulled myself further into Sam's arms as I sobbed.

"Oh Bella, I wish I had known earlier, I could have been here with you." I dipped my head into the crock of Sam's neck and breathed his old earthy, Sam smell.

"I can't deal with this." I whispered between sobs. Another male came and sat in the room. Paul, my heart came to life again. I wanted to touch him, for him to be the one holding me. Without permission my hand reached for him and his warm hand met mine.

"Paul." I whispered. He pulled my into his arms and held me and kissed my head, just as I imagined he would.

"Bella. Are you ok?" He whispered as he pushed his nose into my hair and kept it there. I turned my face into his neck and just stayed there, not answering, not speaking, not even crying. My whole body went numb. I couldn't feel the end of my fingers, or my lips. I was so scared. What was I going to do? Where was Paula. My heart stopped again.

Sam stood and nodded to Paul once before leaving. My heart stopped beating a little again and my sobs started again.

Paul just held me as I cried out my grief.

**Let me know! **

**This had to happen, you'll know why next chapter. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviews. **


	4. My Heart

**Right, hello again guys. I need to apologize for the amount of time waited on this story. I have had a bit of a rough week...I am going to try and update this story at least once a week if not more..but if you guys to could bare with me, that would be fantastic. **

**Back to the story**

**BELLA'S POV **

I watched as the rain dribbled down the old window pane. My heart constantly ached, although it felt that little bit better when around Paul. I kept staring right out ahead of the window. Not moving, not crying, not even bothering to eat. It had been two days. Two whole days and Paula hadn't been to visit once. I wonder if she even knew yet. The bang of the door downstairs and the unfamiliar pull in the bottom of my stomach loosening let me know that Paul was finally back from wherever he had gone.

Hushed whispers traveled from the kitchen as Sam and Paul tried to talk without disturbing me from my 'sleep'. Each time anyone walked into my room I pretended to fall asleep to keep them from asking me questions...'was I hungry?' 'Did I want something to eat?' 'Was I warm enough?' The constant reminder that my mother was no longer here was painful.

The phone downstairs started to ring loudly, the annoying cheerful scream awakening me from my day dream. Can't everyone just leave my house alone, with me in it. MY heart ached, I didn't want to be left alone... I wanted Paul to be with me. Footsteps stomped up the stairs heavily and the creak of the door echoed around my room.

"Bella?" Paul was stood right behind me, as I sat at my rocking chair watching the children play in the Autumn leaves. "Paula is on the phone." The aching from both my heart and my stomach eased a little with the presence of Paul about. I hated the fact that is boy, no this man, could have such a big effect on me...

"Where is she?" I whispered. My voice was horse and unused. A flicker of heat brushed across my shoulder as Paul pulled my hair back from my neck and kissed my cheek.

"In LaPush" He mumbled around my neck. My heart stopped and my breathing hitched. How long had she been in LaPush? Why had nobody told me sooner? My last remaining family member - apart from extended family, like Billy Black - and no one told me she was so close.

"I need to see her." I said suddenly, surprised by the wave of confidence I felt. Anger was held inside me like a glimmer of a flame. It just wouldn't go out no matter how hard I tried.

"Sure, I'll take you." My heart fluttered a little at the thought of Paul wanting to take me somewhere. OH MY GOD. I screamed at myself. This boy nearly made you kill yourself, do you really want to go there? Butterflies formed in my stomach, yes...and I knew I did.

"Paul." Sam yelled up the stairs for Paul who still had his head nuzzled in my neck. His soft lips touched my neck slightly in passionate kiss.

"I'll be back in a minute Bella." The warm embrace left my neck, leaving me empty and cold. I sighed and looked at one kid that had fallen over and was crying. He had blood dripping down his knee as he clutched at it tightly and wept. My motherly instincts kicked in and I found myself getting a plaster and heading towards him.

Paul and Sam were in the kitchen talking in hushed whispers which immediately froze as they saw me walk past them.

"Where are you going?" Sam called after me as I walked out through the front door, into the crisp Autumn air. The wind whipped around me sending shivers down my spine.

I let the front door swing shut behind me as I made my way down the porch steps towards the boy that was still crying silently.

He looked up in shock as I knelt beside him.

"Are you OK?" I asked him. The shock eventually wore off his face as I held out the plaster for him. The boy couldn't have been more than ten. What was he doing here on his own. His copper brown was perfectly sculpted and matched the Autumn scenery. His eyes shone brightly from all the crying, but where the darkest brown. Like chocolate.

"Thank you." He whispered in a high pitched voice as he took the plaster from me and placed it out his oozy red knee.

I smiled at him. Wow. I smiled, that was a first.

"I'm Bella." His returning smile was breath taking.

"I know." He grinned widely. Confusion flashed through me. "I'm the son of Rebecca Black, if you remember her?" Black...yeah I knew her, she had a son?

"How old are you?"

A car pulled up outside the house and a tall dark haired girl stepped out. She looked straight at me and the boy and walked inside with out saying a word.

"Eight" He answered as my head snapped back to him.

"OK, well I'm going back in." Another shiver rocked through my body again. "But if you need me, just come on in...OK?" I looked awkwardly at the boy once more before turning and following the stranger into my own house.

The house was much warmer and almost comforting. I walked into the kitchen as the beautiful girl wrapped her arms around Paul's neck and her lips against his neck. MY heart stopped again. Anger surged through me and jealousy rolled off me in waves.

"Who the fuck are you?" I said in a tone that even I was shocked at. The girl pulled herself out of the embrace with my Paul and stared at me with wide eyes like a doe caught in headlights.

"I'm Emily." She smiled at me with innocence. Like she hadn't been caught in an emotional hold with Paul.

I stared the girl down, and waited for her to say something else.

"Urm..." The girl moved her balance from one foot to the other under my intense stare. Sam came out of nowhere.

"It's OK Bella, she isn't trying to take Paul away from you" He whispered in my ear. I didn't move my gaze from the girl as I creased my eyebrows. Why would Sam know what I was feeling.

Paul took a step towards with me with one hand out stretched reaching for me.

"Don't" I spat as I took a step back into Sam's arms. Sam's arms were always a place of safety for me but today, at that very moment, even with all my anger, I didn't want to be in Sam's arms, I wanted t be in Paul's. And I wanted that...that bitch, out of his arms, our of my house OUT OF HIS LIFE.

"Bella please." Paul looked at me, as he dropped his arm. His eyes were full of dread and regret. My heart melted...how could I make him feel like this. Everything in my life was so complicated at the moment.

I shook Sam off me as he held me at the top of my arms.

"Until she leaves..." I said pointing at the girl stood in my kitchen, "I'm not staying, or talking to you." Paul fell onto his knees in front of me. He looked defeated and so childlike in front of me...

"I can't...I'm sorry" My heart broke as I whispered my final sentence to him before walking upstairs and laying back on my bed. Defeat over took me as well as I lay looking up at the ceiling. No, I thought to myself, I will not back down, I need to got to LaPush to get my sister back.

A tap at the door sounded around my room. When no-one walked in, I opened the door for myself. Paul stood outside, sorrow flashed through his eyes then the softness replaced the sadness.

"I'm sorry Bella, please let me explain." He uttered gently. Every muscle in my body contracted and then relaxed, the anger I felt at Paul melted away a little as his eyes searched mine. The girl however, I would not forgive.

I opened the door a little wider and stepping back giving Paul just enough space to allow him to come into the room. As he was still watching me intently, I turned and sat on my bed. After a minute of awkward silence Paul sat next to me and took my hand. The warmth spread through me again.

I looked at the little picture that sat next to my beside table. It was of me, at the age of eleven, eight years ago...my sister at thirteen, my mother and my father. We all looked so happy; so together... My heart clenched at the memory and the tears threatened to escape again.

"Why?" I mumbled beneath my breath. Confusion flickered across the features of my Paul.

"Why what?" His voice was full of sadness and hurt.

"Why make me believe that I honestly meant something to you over the past few days." His eyes...they shone with the strongest emotion...but what emotion, I couldn't say.

"Bella..." The way that my voice rolled off his tongue...it was making me obsessive. "It's not like that...Emily, she..." His voice trailed off. He couldn't help me. I guess I was wrong when I believed he was going to help me.

"Look..it's hard to explain" I smiled slightly, I couldn't be annoyed.

"It's OK...I get it. You like her she likes you, it wasn't like I should have got annoyed." As I tried to get up off the bed, Paul took me in his arms and pulled me close into his arms.

"I don't like her Bells...she means nothing, you...you mean everything to me." My head swirled and my temperature rose as Paul spoke softly in my ear.

"But...you were with Emily..." Paul chuckled from behind me.

"She's my cousin." I pulled out of Paul's lap and stood straight up in front of him.

"God, I am so stupid." My body tensed and everything around me seemed to remind me of my family. I wanted them back so much.

Paul stood up slowly in front of me slowly and pushed a stray piece of hair around my ear.

"You are beautiful Bella Swan" The warm hand brushed across my cheek as his lips closed in on mine. A kiss...a plain kiss, from th one person I was falling in love with.


	5. Finding Paula

**Ok, hey guys, wanted to thank you all for your amazing reviews. I do reply to some reviews...the ones with constructive criticism idea's. **

**Thank you to everyone that reviewed, followed or Favorited...makes my day.**

**Bella's POV**

Paul's car smelt so un-believably like him. The seats were comforting, but not just that, the entire air was washed with his fragrance.

The car was warm, blasting the heat from the little graters placed through out the interior. The rain still drizzled dully as we made our way towards LaPush to see my sister for the first time. I was sat in the back with Sam, one arm wrapped around me, keeping me completely warm. Emily sat in front with Paul. After my little out burst earlier, I found it only fair to apologize. We were now on civil speaking terms and had found that actually we were getting along rather well.

We turned off the main road into the little side road that led to the small Native American reservation of LaPush. The mud splatted every where as we made a right turn onto a mud road that led straight to Jared's little hut.

The houses in LaPush technically weren't houses; more like shacks, made from wood and iron roofs. Jared's house was slightly smaller than the majority of the places here. It was a two bedroom place, with a kitchen and a dining room all in one, living room, bathroom and a small outside garden.

When Jared's father passed away, he left the entire property paid for fully to Jared's mother. When Jared turned eighteen about four years ago, Jared's mum moved in with her new boyfriend, leaving the house to Jared. Jared stayed in the place, turning his mothers old room a room for myself.

I jumped out the car as Jared himself ran out of the door and pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

"I'm sorry Bells." My voice got caught in my throat as yet again I thought about my diseased parents. I shook my head quickly as Jared held my face and studied my features. "Paula's here" He whispered in a husky under-tone.

My sisters face appeared in my head, her bright eyes wide with excitement. Her hair flung in a loose pony tails the odd curl falling and framing her face.

A warm hand wrapped around mine. Paul's warm hand...and tugged me inside.

"She doesn't...quite look the same." Frantically my eyes searched the kitchen as we walked into the kitchen. I couldn't see my sister anywhere. Where was she?

"The lounge." Paul whispered as Sam made his way in from the car and sat in the biggest kitchen chair.

I took the few steps to the kitchen door.

_She doesn't look the same..._

Paul's words kept echoing around my head. What did he mean she didn't look quite the same.

I reached for the door handle and pushed it until the door was a jar open. The door frame squeaked under the pressure. The low murmur of the TV was heard softly as I took one small step into the bare room. The room had a door on the far wall that led to the garden, two sofa's one on the wall next to the door and the other the other side. And the smallish TV tucked away in the corner. I took another, larger, step into the room.

After a moment of searching, I found my sister sat on the far sofa, looking at the floor and sniffing violently. I took a few steps towards her when she looked up suddenly.

Her normally beautiful eyes were cold, lifeless, empty. Her full lips deflated and blue. Her hair lank, greasy. The pull of my heart tugged towards Paul. I needed him to wrap himself around me, to hold me and tell me everything would be alright.

She watched me like an animal watching it's prey. Her eyes burning into me, reading me.

"Paula..." My voice broke as I spoke my sisters name. Her lips went to move but then she flinched. The sun filtered through the open door and the small window landing on my sister, giving me a good look at her for the first time.

Her lips, they weren't blue, they were purple and black and broken. Her eyes were bruised and bloodshot. Her cheeks had blood stains down them. Patches of her hair were gone...

"What happened?" Tears formed in the bloody eyes and they closed with the pain of the memory.

"Edward Cullen..." Her voice came out in barely a whisper, and a broken whisper at that.

My whole body faltered. I crumpled into a pile in front of her. Warm arms caught me before I ended up face first on the floor.

"Careful Isabella." My full name was barely spoken by any body, but by Paul it sounded so perfect.

"He...he..." My voice and my words wouldn't cooperate.

A deep intake of breath from the door had be looking up startled. Sam was stood in the door way staring at Paula. Eyes wide open, mouth gaping...

His stance was powerless, his normally proud shoulders were slumped, his chest pulled in tightly, so tight we could see his ribs.

His eyes never left Paula's as he made his way over to her and stroked her cheek just once, before crumpling exactly the same way I had.

**Sam's POV**

I followed Bella out of the car, as Jared nearly fell over her. A low growl rumbled through Paul' chest as his pack brother clung tightly to his girl. His eyes snapped to mine, pleading me to do something about it.

"He is her brother and her best friend, we need her to have everyone that loves her around her." I whispered in his ear as he made his way past me.

A short nod and a huff of breath and Paul let the situation go. Luckily Bella had missed the exchange and was smiling partly as she wrapped herself in Jared's warmth.

Her face lit up as Paul took her hand but fell again as he whispered something I couldn't catch in her ear.

I followed Bella and Paul into the little house. Bella was radiating rolls of nerves as she opened the door and disappeared into the room.

Paul turned to me and worry spread across his face. He turned towards the door and started to make his way into the room.

"Paul wait." I commanded in my alpha tone. "She needs time." A weird feeling in my stomach startled me as I heard the other girls voice from the room. This voice didn't sound like Paula's had before. It was broken and sad, but beautiful and the best I had heard in a long time.

After a few minutes of my day dream Paul dashed into the room. I quickly followed to check on the girls when I saw her. The one.

My world shifted. My sight, smell, hearing, tasting and feeling all moved slightly so that everything I wanted to do was gravitated towards her. My head span as I looked into the face of Paula Swan.

My wolf howled in delight as he awoke to see the Goddess in front of us. Those deep chocolate snapped to mine, two heartbeats later I was stood right in front of her, my hand brushing her swollen cheek. My wolf growled at the bruising.

My body crumpled. I had just imprinted.

**Ok guys, please review...I am writing a new Paul/Bella story soon, and another with my bestfriend...but I'll let you know when they are coming up. **

**Love you guys xx**


	6. Saving us

**Ok, so I need to tell you guys something. This story, people...is based on my own life. My parents really did die. And the events of this story really did happen. How ever, some of the events I have twisted and changed them...And some of the events aren't because of me...**

**Please, if you have anything to say about the events, just remember they really did happen...I don't mind criticism, just please don't tell me the plot line is bad, because this subject is close to my heart. **

**Bella's POV**

I watched as Sam fell in front of Paula. He watched her face carefully. My own sister, with bruising painted on her face looked back at him. My heart fell as I looked at my sisters face once again.

There was a deep purple bruise that clang to her face, it was from around the bottom of her eye to her eyebrow. Her lips were cut and the evidence of blood from them was there, staring me in the face. MY eyes traveled down her neck, following the pathway the bruises took toward her t-shirt line and below. What did that bastard do to her?

Sam was studying her the same way I was. His breathing turned un-even as his eyes looked to the neck line of her top and back to her eyes again.

"What did he do?" Sam said in little more than a whisper. Paula fixed her eyes upon Sam and I swear I could see a little glimmer of hope shining through them. After a moment of intense gazing, her eyes fixed on mine. She let out a deep breath as she looked at the floor and remembered what happened the night she went out with Edward Cullen, two days ago.

"Well, as I left, everything was fine. He took my hand..." Sam shook slightly and a low rumbling type noise filled the room. Paul moved so that he was covering me with his big left shoulder. What was that about.

Paula took her hand that was also covered with bruises and cuts and swept it Sam's face. He instantly calmed down, the shaking stopped at the grumbling that came from a place low in the bottom of his chest ceased.

"Everything was fine." Paula, not once, took her hand away from Sam's face as she told her story. To keep him calm I presumed.

"We went and we had dinner, but between us there was no...chemistry, no connection. In fact, I thought he was rather arrogant and self centered." Sam leaned his face into Paula's hand as Paul moved me to sit in his lap on the sofa, next to Paula.

"At the end of the night, Edward asked me to go out with him again. But I didn't want to. I wanted him to leave me alone." A slight smile crept across his face, he certainly enjoyed the fact that Paula didn't want Edward...even I could see that there was chemistry between the two already.

"When I said no, Edward went berserk." A tear escaped the corner of Paula's eye. I had never seen her so upset. So devastated. "He dragged me to the car...it was dark and the parking lot was deserted. He said that if he couldn't have me no one would."

Paula swallowed a little as the tears formed in her eyes threatening to escape.

"He grabbed me by the hair and pulled clumps out, handfuls at a time. He was hitting me and kicking me and generally beating me, till I blacked out." My heart clenched. How could I have left Paula to go out with that...that...MONSTER.

"I don't remember what happened after that, all I know is that I woke up half naked and feeling sore...down there." A howl of pain rippled through the room and my head snapped to Sam. He was shaking uncontrollably. My hand reached for him, but Paul took my hand away and kissed my neck.

"Please don't." He looked at Sam concern flaking his emotions. "Sam, control...if not, leave. You don't want to hurt her." Sam's face whipped to look at Paul. His lips were pulled back into a snarl, like a dog did before he attacked. It was fairly frightening. Shock swayed through me, as spit flew from Sam's mouth as he crouched growling at Paul.

In a second, I was stood back behind Paul. He was crouched the same way that Sam wad facing him, teeth bared.

"Sam." Paula whispered at the Sam moment I whimpered...

"Paul."

Both men froze, shock filled faces, mouths hanging open. Paul span to look at me quickly, I was startled and took a step back.

"Bella please." Paul pleaded at me. I studied his face. His eyes were full of worry and fear. He looked like a little boy. My heart clenched again, a pull in my stomach decided that he was nothing to fear before I could even blink.

That was the moment I realized it. I was falling in love with Paul Lahote, the man-hore that slept with everything, the bully that nearly had be dying.

HOW COULD THAT BE?

My heart fluttered a bit when I realize that Paul was still stood in front of me waiting for me to fall into his arms.

"Paul" I smiled slightly at his as I took his out-stretched hand and fell into his embrace. His big arms enclosed me. He kissed the top of my hair over and over.

"Sam, what was that?" Paula was stood staring at Sam, fear written all over her face. Confusion clouded the atmosphere. Paula backed into the corner and watched Sam with wide eyes.

Sadness washed through me, at this moment, my mother would have scooped us both into her arms and sang to us, a gentle melody that would rock us both gently to sleep...even at the ages of nineteen and twenty one.

"Paula it's OK." I whispered. Her big chocolate eyes fixed on me and looked for any means of insincerity.

"Bella." She choked on my name as she stretched her arms for me. Paula had always been the motherly character out of us. She had made sure I was safe, fed, clothed properly...but right then, at that moment, she was collapsing right in front of my very eyes.

I caught her in my arms and held her tight as the boys hovered closely around.

"They're gone Bella." I let go of my sister and took a few steps back. Reality hit me for the second time. My parent's weren't coming back.

"We better get home." Paula looked at me shocked. Didn't she understand. Life needed to go back to normal. I needed life to go back to normal. When Sam and Jared were my best friends, when Paula and I lived with my mother and father. When Paul and I didn't talk.

I wanted to talk to Paul...and I knew it. I was just being stubborn, but nothing was making sense to me anymore.

"We were thinking Bella..." Jared appeared in the door frame and lent on it. He was taking up most of the space...Gosh, had he grown? Was that even possible? He was what, 6"3?

"We were thinking you guys could move in here with me." Jared watched my face carefully. I looked to Paula who just kept her face straight. She had agreed.

"I will sleep down here, you guys can take the two bedrooms." I was planning on moving in with Jared in a few months anyway. We had got accepted into the same college and he was going to drive me each day. But now that I was thinking about moving in sooner than expected, I felt a little scared...

_Stay at Paul's..._

My mind kept telling me that the place to be was Paul's but I couldn't do that. I hardly knew him.

"OK." I agreed.


End file.
